Define Your Meaning of War
by thomashiddleston
Summary: When Sif goes to Svartalfheim in search of the remains of the super villain, Malekith, she finds something that doesn't belong on that dark landscape but on a more 'golden' one. She returns to Asgard and keeps her new findings to herself. What will she do when that secret leaks to the God of Mischief who will stop at nothing to keep it behind closed doors, even if it means killing.
1. Revelations

The dark and empty realm was the perfect place for creatures as evil as they. The ground was cold and had a strange texture like sand but not as soft and smooth. The sky was clouded, shielding it from the light of the sun, the sun that they oh so cherished on Asgard.

The task was simple. Go to Svartalfheim, look for Malekith's body, make sure he's dead then search the rest of the realm for anything else that may be of importance.

The first part was completed merely seconds ago when they arrived in the ruins of the war fought hard against the elves.

"Fandral, you and Volstagg investigate that mess of Midgardian items, I'll go over to the ship wreckage in search of the body." Sif hoped that Thor would be correct about the placement of it and that he was not just exaggerating.

"Why do you get to look for the body?" Fandral asked but in an almost whining matter, making her have to bite back a smile. This was a serious mission and if he was still alive it wouldn't be smart to lose their seriousness. She decided.

"Did you want to?" She questioned, lifting an eyebrow into a sarcastic expression.

"Carry on." He replied as they began walking towards the smashed transportation devices.

Sif ran with her sword in hand to the demolished ship, ready for even the sneakiest of attacks.

Her eyes skimmed over the bent pieces of metal and sparking wires as she searched for any sign of a limp figure. She found none.

"Where are you?" She whispered to the air around her as she searched through the pile of scraps.

After looking through metal for at least thirty minutes, something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. It didn't belong in the landscape and it reflected what little light there was off in her direction.

Sif spun to stare at it and determined to find out what it was, sped to its side. Laying on the ground was a single piece of worn, golden metal, smelted by the finest of blacksmiths. Engraved with brilliant designs in some places.

She bent down and grabbed it, her fingers rubbing over the metal slowly and carefully. Her gaze narrowed as she studied it intensely, searching for an answer to her question.

Her heart dropped into her stomach as the realization came to her.

This was a part of Loki's armor. It was one of the many pieces of metal that rested on the front of his tunic. Was this really all that remained of him? Where was his body? Thor hadn't taken it with him.. Why would he, he went to Midgard to save it once again, there was no opportunity to carry around a dead body. She thought absent mindedly.

"Lady Sif, we didn't find anything of significance.. Any sign of the body?" Volstagg shouted across the landscape as they approached her from behind.

Her entire body shook with fear and she quickly stuffed the piece of his armor into hers, hiding it from their sight.

"Sif? How do you fair?" He asked as they both noticed her visible shake from his speech."Why did you tremble?"

She turned around to meet their worried gazes and accompanied them with a wary smile.

"Just on edge is all." She assured but she could tell they weren't convinced.

Sif, Fandral and Volstagg continued searching the rubble but found nothing else, not even the body of Malekith.

"Where do you suppose he's gone?" Fandral asked as they walked to the site of the bifrost.

"Into hiding somewhere, I suppose." She concluded as they called for Heimdall.

-:::-

"Enter!" The deep and raspy voice of Odin called to her from the throne room.

The guards that stood on either side of the doors both opened them in unison, clearing the path to the All Father.

Sif walked in a fast manner towards the throne and stopped just short of the stairs. She slowly got on one knee with her hand closed into a fist and over her heart.

"What is the news on Svartalfheim?" He asked but in a demanding matter, not showing the tiniest bit of kindness.

Her jaw visibly clenched and unclenched before she responded, causing Odin to give her the faintest of smirks.

"There was no sign of the body and we found nothing of importance." Her conscience kicked her in the gut when she remembered what she wasn't telling him, that she had found a part of Loki's battle armor. She winced slightly.

"Nothing at all.." He pondered over her words, obviously aware she wasn't telling the full truth. "Very well." He turned slightly to grab a basket of fruits and began picking through them until he found one to his liking. He picked it up, inserted part into his mouth and swang his legs over the armrest of the royal chair, one arm carelessly hanging over the side.

Sif's brow furrowed as she stared in suspicion at the king of Asgard who was now acting very strange.

"I will give you two days time to prepare to travel to Vanaheim to settle a small disput between the citizens and their government. You may take a small team of warriors with you if you please and from this day forward you will be in charge of the affairs between Asgard and the other realms." He stated nonchalantly, as he held the stem of a cherry in between his fingers, avoiding her cutting stare.

Her eyes narrowed at his childishness. Since when does he play with his food and swing his legs over the throne leg.

"Yes, Allfather." She said through gritted teeth as he turned his head to look at her. She got off her knee and stomped like any child would but without all the noise, creating swift movements.

-:::-

Sif was sat neatly on a beautifully carved, wooden chair as she ate her well deserved bowl of mushroom soup peacefully in the dark, empty room.

Her eyes moved around freely, insuring that she was the only one present. As soon as it was confirmed she pulled the golden piece of metal from it's hiding place and began to twirl it in her fingers as she stared, lost in a cloud of thoughts.

The same questions flooded her mind once again. How could only this part of his armor remain? Why wasn't the body there? What could of happened to it?

The metal didn't even appear to have gotten dented or bent up, besides being worn from battle, it was in perfect condition.

Her spoon dived for another scoop of mushrooms when her eyes widened in shock. Her breathing hitched and her body began trembling in fear as the full realization hit her like a sword in the stomach.

Loki was alive and he was freely walking the realms, he could be anywhere by now!

Sif stood immediately and felt a wave of anger consume what little fear she felt earlier. She picked up her soup, threw it at the wall and let out a blood curdling scream.

Guards came racing into the dining hall, at her side in seconds, ready for whatever came out of her mouth next.

"Go wake the All-Father, we must meet urgently!" She yelled at them, chest heaving in and out in an angry rage.

They did as told, not putting a second thought to it.

-:::-

"Why have you called me at this late hour?" He demanded grumpily as he massaged his eye with one of his hands.

"I have important information!" She said with a hint of fear.

He removed his hand from his eye to study her more vividly this time, taking in her expression and the unsteady breaths being taken in and out of her lungs.

"Go on.." He urged as he sat down on the throne, awaiting her next response.

"I found something. On Svartalfheim. Something that I should have told you about. I didn't know what to think or do with it so.. I kept it to myself but now I see that is no longer an option as I have discovered a truth that I'm sure you won't find very pleasing." Sif paused to take in his expression and found it harboring little emotion. "When I was searching for Malekith, I saw something on the vast landscape, it was a decent sized piece of golden metal, unharmed. It was a piece of Loki's armor. A part missing from the front of his tunic." She slowly pulled it from her leathers and held it in the air, watching his expression go from blank to fearful. "It is all that remains of him. I didn't think much on or about it until I was eating in the dining hall. It donned on me.. That there was no way just one piece of his armor could remain on that entire realm, not ripped from him but in perfect condition as if it had been placed nicely on the ground." She stated as her anger slowly began to die with the increasing silence in the room.

Sif watched as he slowly stood from his seated position and gave a malicious grin. Her eyes widened in horror as she watched the facade of Odin disappear to reveal an amused prince with raven black hair and blueish green eyes.

She rose from her kneeling position in response and her hand flew to the hilt of her sword but her fingers were accompanied by nothing but air.

"Where is the All-Father!" She yelled at him through bared teeth as her eyes searched for a weapon of some sort.

Loki's low laugh echoed through the empty room as he slowly made his way down the stairs. "I assure you, Lady Sif, that he is in good hands." The glint in his eyes told her he was lying.

"Where is the All-Father, Liesmith!" She shouted once again, using a jab to get him to spout answers.

He flashed her a malevolent smirk as he reached the bottom of the stairs and stopped less than a foot from her.

"You're clever, I'll give you that. Nothing more, nothing less." He practically sang as he stared into her brown eyes. His gaze lowered down to her lips, she followed his eyes and looked back up to him. His figure leaned ever closer until his thin lips reached her ear. "Too bad I'll have to kill you." Her vision snapped down just in time to see his small dagger being pulled from his leathers. His hand thrusted forwards, towards the pit of her stomach but her hands flew to the sides of the knife, keeping it in place with two flat palms, careful not to cut herself. She twisted the weapon from his grasp and threw it towards the wooden doors that would mark her only exit. It landed in the center of the two, slipping past the wood and through the crack until the handle halted the rest of it from going.

He threw the first punch, she grabbed his wrist and twisted it, causing him to loose his footing. He rose from the expensive flooring with a slightly unnerving smile that sent shivers down her spine, he looked like he had truly gone mad, all those times they had spent together when they were younger, venturing the wilderness and splashing each other with water in the nearby rivers had truly gone. They had lost that childlike innocence the day Odin had planned Thor's coronation.

"Loki!" She half pleaded, half threatened as he wiped imaginary blood from his mouth, creeping ever closer to her.

He laughed dangerously low as his grin widened at her failed attempt to talk to him. "My apologies.. am I.. frightening you?" His silken voice asked as he now stood just inches from her once more.

"What happened to you to turn you.. so cold!" She screamed in his face, hoping that somehow, by some miracle, the guards would come to her rescue.

"I enjoy our little talks. I really do! But I'm afraid that this one must be cut short." He purred as he stared into her eyes, twisting his head to the side to study them from a different angle.

Loki's reaction was quicker than a snake's, before she could respond with a witty reply he had grabbed her wrists and begun squeezing them.

"Oh Sif, I wish I could let you go.. But you know that I can't do that!" He whispered to her in the same velvety voice that always aroused its victims.. It used to work on her until after 'the incident'.

Sif focused her gaze beyond him, over his shoulder, a scheme to get him to turn around so she could use her self defense skills to break his grasp.

His eyes narrowed at her undivided attention turned toward something behind him. She even widened her eyes for a dramatized effect.

Loki finally turned his head to peer at what she was staring intently at and was met with nothing. Her hands spun to face palms up, she grabbed his wrists, adjusted her grip on them and flipped him over her head, landing him not so gently on the hard ground.

Her first instinct was to reach for her sword but instead of filling her fingers with the air of where it should have been, she turned on her heel and ran. She ran through the halls until she spotted a guard sleepily watching a room.

Sif stopped in front of him and slapped him on the face, temporarily knocking him unconscious. She searched his clothing for weapons of sorts and was greeted by a double bladed dagger, she took it and his palace issued sword.

Her running continued as she looked back into the shadows, spotting a black mass moving at a rapid pace towards her. She could of sworn she heard it snarl as she turned her head back to the road in front of her with a weapon in hand.

Sif decided against going to the stables to retrieve a horse, by the time she mounted he'd already be upon her. So she ran and she ran and she ran until she reached the bifrost where Heimdall stood waiting patiently for her slow arrival.

"Heimdall! Take me to Midgard! I must warn Thor!" She stated urgently, not bothering to hide her emotions of the moment. Her head kept turning to look behind for signs of the demented man, every few seconds, it seemed.

"If he asks where you have gone, I will tell him. It is my sworn duty to protect this realm, Odin or not. I will not risk it's safety because of a small quarrel inside the palace walls." He stated plainly as he watched some thing behind her.

Sif slowly turned to follow his gaze and was met by the sight of a large group of guards riding on their horses with a mission on mind.

"Come, you must go now. If the 'king' closes off the bifrost I will have no choice but to obey him." Heimdall ushered her further into the golden dome as he opened the swirling blend of lights.


	2. A challenge?

Shortly after she had traveled through the bifrost, Sif had arrived in New Mexico, it wasn't the first time she had been there, she had gone once with Fandral, hogun and Volstagg a few years back to come to get Thor.

The moment she arrived she had begun running through the seemingly empty streets, she knew she had to find Thor before Loki tried something. She was unsure what exactly it was he was going to try but she knew it wasn't going to be good, considering he did attempt to kill her before she left.

Sif was currently in the diner that had just been repaired from the incident with the destroyer, she began walking around the establishment, searching for something, someone that was recognizable to help or aid her with her mission. Her eyes scanned the people and the tables around her, she didn't spot anyone in particular she knew. Some people talked and drank their creamy black liquids and others read multiple papers that were connected, words written on them in bold ink.

She decided to go up to a woman who seemed like she had some authority in the building, "Excuse me, do you know the time of day?" Instead of asking if she knew where Thor or Jane was she went with a simpler question, one that wouldn't come back to haunt her later. Sif took the time to examine this woman, figuring she might need her help some time or another. She was much shorter than her, her long dark hair was wavy but in an artificial kind of way, as she looked up to her, she noticed her eyes were a beautifully colored hazel. Her name tag read, Charlotte.

"Um, yes.. It is a quarter till four." She answered as her eyes looked up from her watch. If she had to estimate her height, she would guess she was probably somewhere around five one or five two.

"Thanks." She mumbled as she began walking out the door and onto the once vacant streets. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw a variety of people roaming around, they were unusual to her, they didn't look like they had things to do, stuff to accomplish like she always did. They were calm and at bay.

Sif began walking down the street, the guard's sword in her hilt, her knives and daggers inside of her leathers. She realized she was completely out of place and how many looks that earned her but there wasn't much she could do so she walked around with her head held high, chin towards the sky.

As she practically jogged down the street she decided to take a short cut through an alleyway, it was a bit dark but she figured it would be alright. She stopped her abnormal run and walked down it, letting her shoulders sink and neck muscles relax. She traveled through at ease, not a single worry on her mind, she hadn't seen the bifrost open yet so she assumed Loki must have given up.

A sudden noise of something cutting through air came whirling towards her, she had no idea what it was until she turned to see a double blade knife, it struck the side of her face, expelling a painful groan as the skin of her forehead spit open. She studied the weapon, deciding it was without a doubt, Asgardian, quickly she churned her gaze towards her attacker, the blood beginning to drip down her face.

A low chuckle sounded from the throat of the man standing before her, he was a bit shorter than Loki, something she was relived to recognize, to her it was her salvation, she knew then she could win this battle.

Sif dabbed at her bleeding head, her vision blurring as she thought up her attack plan, choosing her moves carefully, allowing him the first move.

He clicked his tongue almost mockingly, like a parent chastising their child, "Sif, Sif, Sif..." He paused staring at her footwear before looking back to her, "Such a brave warrior.. I have orders from the king to kill you.. and kill you I shall." He mumbled the last past, throwing a cluster of knives at her, barely giving her enough time to react, she dodged them by less than a milli of a second, stumbling over her own feet as she struggled to keep her vision clear.

"Wait.." She muttered looking down to the ground, a few feet from him, her eyes almost blank, giving her the appearance of not thinking at all.

"What is it woman?" He asked harshly as he spat at her, almost demanding a slap from her hand but she resisted the powerful urge.

"I-I surrender.." She stated with a massive loss of pride as she dropped to one knee, slowly raising both hands into the air, refusing to look to him.

He seemed to stare at her for several minutes, determining whether her surrender was genuine, not willing to be fooled that easily. He eventually began nodding his head like he was agreeing with her.

She held a few more seconds before she sprang to her feet, running at him as her hands slipped between her leathers, grabbing two dual daggers. She raised them in preparation as she neared her target, he had drawn his sword since he had no more knives left to throw at her.

Sif flung her first blade at him, hitting him in the lower left of his side, where a lot of his major arteries were located, grinning victoriously as he let out the same groan she had but in a more girlish way. He fell to the ground before she had even got the chance to throw her second.

"Should have known better.. A true warrior never gives up!" She stated as she kicked his side, a bittersweet smile plastered on her tan complexion. After his choking groans silenced she continued walking through the alleyway.

-:::-

Loki's hand flew to his face as he roughly massaged the bridge of his nose, "Are you positive he is dead?" He questioned the guards that had come to update him with the latest news of his assassination mission, disbelieving what he was hearing, "He was the finest in all of Asgard.." His smooth and calming voice becoming rougher by the second as his agitation grew and his patience shrunk.

They all shook their heads in unison, silently agreeing to what he was asking. Loki stood, still disguised as Odin, every time he thought about it he couldn't help but scoff and roll his eyes. No one had truly known who he was, that is, until Sif figured it out on her own, with a little help from him of course. He had only revealed himself because he had expected to be successful in properly disposing her, now he found himself in quite the predicament, considering she had escaped to Midgard and was currently looking for his oaf of a brother.

"You are excused!" He yelled sudden as his anger boiled over, spilling onto the floors and walls of the throne room. The guards quickly did as they were told, not denying him for a second. Loki sat back contemplating how Odin must appear to those around him, he began chuckling as he imagined their hushed whispers about their prized king, now more suited as a dictator. The chuckle was not in any way real, he was still angered by the news he had just received.

"Must I do everything myself?" He shouted as he stood from 'his' throne and began striding out of the door, wrapping his hand around a long dagger he had kept concealed beneath his tunic.

-:::-

Sif watched as the sky darkened around the small town, engulfing the sunshine in a silently raging rampage, her eyes scanned the clouds above but they were not filled with a god of any kind. It was just another storm, normal for that time of the year. Back when Sif went to schooling she had studied the nine realms, Midgard being one of them, their weather had always fascinated her.

She had been wandering around on the streets for several hours, she couldn't find a way out of the town, the nearest city was fifty miles away and no one seemed to want to share a transportation device with her.

The goddess walked past the diner for at least the twentieth time in the past few hours but unlike the others, something was different this time, the environment was not the same as it had been earlier. As she stared through the large, glass window, a glint of green and black caught her attention. Her heart fell into her stomach, Loki was in the diner speaking to the woman she had spoke to previously.. Charlotte, that was her name.

She watched in horror as the woman did a simple head shake and his hand wrapped around her neck, lifting her into the air, angrily whispering something to her, of course it was something Sif couldn't hear.

He tossed her away from him, she hit the wall seconds later with a loud thump that could be heard from where she stood, she winced as she watched her spinal cord being deranged right before her eyes. She was used to this kind of thing, but, it seemed different somehow, these people didn't deserve war, they were caught between their little bout and now they were paying with their lives, Sif knew Charlotte had not survived that spinal injury, she had been thrown way too hard and her back had hit the wall at just the right angle.

Just as she decided to make a mad dash in the furthest direction from the small establishment, his icy cool stare shifted to her from inside. Sif's heart sank even further into the pit of her stomach, she hadn't even thought it was possible for it to go that far until that moment. She cautiously watched his gaze, now locked on her, not willing to take his eyes off for a second, he scanned her entire body, starting at the head, down to her toes and back to where it had originated. A wide, malicious grin spread across his features as he studied her slouching form, the very sight of it turned her stomach upside down, twisted it into knots and lit it on fire all at the same time, causing an uproar to explode inside of her.

Loki took a daring step forward, then another, pausing in between. They were engaged in a dangerous game of chess and he happened to be adept at it, his ability to think things out, days away from the event gave him the upper hand in their not so friendly competition. He stopped walking right before he reached the glass, he just stood staring at her with an almost amused smile.

Sif risked one more stare in his direction before she began sprinting down the road, her head focused on the blacktop ahead of her, trying her hardest not to look back. Her curiosity eventually got the better of her as she turned her head to peer into the now empty diner. Before she could stop she ran straight into a solid object, considerably taller than her.

Her head snapped up to look at him but he had already had her wrists caught between his hands, not even allowing her a second of escape.

His stare was almost predatory, a victorious smile shining through his highly built barrier that contained most emotions and obviously, his conscience.

"What a pleasure it is to see you once more, Lady Sif." He mocked in a low, velvety tone that made her knees shake and threaten to buckle.

She opened her mouth to speak but his hand had beat her to it as it wrapped harshly around her neck, painfully clasped on it, just below the point where it was lethal.

"Loki.." She growled at him as both a warning and a threat, even though he clearly had the advantage she felt the need to keep fighting until she went down. She was going to do everything in her power to get the information to Thor.

"Do not fret, dear heart, I will not kill you.. No, no, no.. I'm going to make sure you suffer instead for making me come after you. You should have died when I gave you the chance." He paused, readjusting his grip on her neck, ".. I gave you two, you should be thanking me for them.." He stared at her like she was some kind of prey like he had once before. ".. Where are my manners?" He asked himself in the most sarcastic tone he could muster.

Loki bent down on one knee, slowly taking one of Sif's hands in his, he began to kiss it but after a second or two he began running his snake like tongue along the knuckles of her fingers, staring into her eyes as he did so, getting the exact reaction he had hoped to expel from her, a mixture of pure pleasure and pain, he couldn't tell which one was more dominate, they both seemed almost even.

Sif's eyes were wide as he licked her knuckles the way he did, it turned her stomach inside out, making it feel like it was a flame at the exact same moment. She struggled to pull her hand away but he held it firmly still in his own, so she was forced to cope with it until he felt that he was done.

He slowly got off of his knee, now towering over her like he always had, "And how was that my dear?" He asked her, seduction dripping from his tone as he stared into her eyes, his own glinting with mischief and dare she say, lust.

She listened to his words carefully, pulling aside every last detail of them, she noticed the possessive part of speech immediately.

"Do not 'ever' use my when addressing me! I will never be yours!" She screamed as she struggled to break free from his iron grasp.

"Is that I challenge I hear?" His voice was filled with mocking excitement. "Because, I accept.." He stated as he bound her hands together behind her back and began leading her back to the sight of the bifrost.


	3. Keeping His Promise (name change)

Define your meaning of war: 3 Sif's brown eyes flicked open once realization dawned upon her dreaming state, she had no idea where she was and the last she remembered was being dragged along to the bifrost, only for Loki to cast a spell of temporary slumber on her. Her memories only frightened her more as she continued to recall the events before she had fell from consciousness. As she frantically searched around for any sign of where she was, she began to wonder if she had already been assassinated, if she was in some form of heaven or maybe even Hel. She didn't believe she had done enough to deserve that but she didn't push aside the possibility. Her gaze was met with a few familiar objects and items, then a few more as she put together the complicated puzzle of her dilemma. After several more critical seconds of staring warily at the things around her, she managed to figure out where she currently was, thanking the gods silently that she at least knew. But the answer was possibly one of the worst ones she could have received. It caused her legs to slowly go into motion, pushing her off of the expensive flooring. She was in Loki's chambers, not in Odin's, she was in his. It alarmed her greatly the longer she took to think about it. She had been in there once when she was a few years younger but it was to simply place his new armor on his bed and he wasn't even in there. She had no idea if he was currently watching her and had no desire to find out as her eyes carefully scanned the room, taking her time in noticing the finer details. The room smelled like a mixture of both mint and forest pines, something that was in no way displeasing to the senses and the walls were a creamy colored white, complimenting the dark green bed and the other furniture. Sif began to cautiously walk towards the door, carefully not to make a slightest noise, just incase the dark prince happened to be in the same room she was currently in. Her breaths were quick and silent as her steps towards the exit quickened, her eagerness to leave clearly evident. Her hand skimmed over the handle of the wooden door, an expression of pure success flooding her once frightened features. She turned the handle as fast as she could of possibly done it and rushed out the door, blinking her eyes as she did so, she had been so caught up in trying to be silent, she forgot to blink. Her eyes flashed back open but she didn't grasp enough time to stop before she had rammed face first into the chest of a seemly amused god dressed in green and black leathers, not a single trace of his kingly façade. "Leaving so soon?" Loki crossed his arms as he stared down at her, tilting his head up slightly to show how much he was taller than her, a malevolent smirk painted onto his features as he did so. He obviously thought himself higher than everyone else, not just the Midgardians but the Asgardians and Jötuns as well. Sif gathered up all of her courage, determined not to cower in front of her captor, she was not bound or contained in anything but she knew damn well she was not free, especially now. The vain attempt did not slip past him and he couldn't control his smirk as it widened into a grin, silently mocking her. "Enough of these games! Make your move, I am waiting.." She snapped at him, her brows creased towards the center of her expression, defiance radiating from her with every carefully pronounced word. At that, he grabbed her by the shoulders, his teeth bared as his icy blue eyes lit on fire, the flames roaring in unison with his temper and propelled her backwards until her back hit the cool wall, causing an audible groan to escape her lips. Loki removed one hand from her to muster up a swirling orb of green energy in his palm, using it to close the door he had left open in his wake. He then wrapped his free hand around her throat, squeezing gently as he stared at her, relishing every second of her fearful expression. "If only you knew the things I intend to do with you." He trailed off, smiling that same smile she had always seen him use before he did something completely maniacal, a forewarning that something bad was to come. Her eyes widened as her mind began to race with the possibilities of what he could of meant, crossing off certain ones as new ideas formed. "W-what do you mean?" She eyed him warily, unsure of how to react, the warrior within her was fighting to be freed but she would allow no such thing until she had an answer. He began to laugh darkly as he pressed her harder against the wall causing his body to be that much closer to hers, evicting a surprised gasp from the warrior maiden. "I did accept your challenge, did I not?" He prompted, his hand slowly releasing her neck and beginning to slide down her body until he reached her hand, quickly grabbing it and pinning it above her head. His other hand reached for her remaining one, pinning it as well as a smile of pure victory shone on his mischievous expression. He took immense pleasure in her reaction to his words and the pinning of her hands. Sif was at a loss of words as she began to contemplate on what he was implying, she was unsure whether she should be filled with fear or pleading for him to simply forget about the challenge she had unknowingly presented. "I did not-" she started but was immediately cut off by the raging god who currently held her against the wall of his chambers. "You. Will. Be. Mine!" He shouted at her, not caring if he was heard, being heard was the least of his worries, he would simply kill whomever had overheard his conversation. "And you will come to me willingly! The longer you resist, the more I will relish your surrender when you cave, a trembling mess sprawled out onto your knees before me, begging for me to give you the pleasure you know only I can create." He growled under his breath as he leaned closer to her, glaring heatedly into her eyes until she moved her head away from him. His fingers trailed down from her wrist to her chin and turned it towards him, forcing her to peer back into his eyes. "I will never do such a thing!" She spat at him angrily as she tried to shove him away. He simply responded by pinning her wrists once more. To top off his promise, Loki leaned down to her and began to press a heated, open mouthed kiss to the sensitive spot of her neck, causing her to inhale sharply in surprise. A large smile stretched across his lips as he had evicted exactly what he had hoped to from her sweet lips. He was almost tempted to take it further until he was reminded of his carefully laid out plan he had for her, there would be plenty of time to toy with her and he would enjoy every single second of it but for now it would have to wait. After several minutes he withdrew from her and went to her ear, whispering one word as his voice grew increasingly seductive. "Mine." 


	4. Held Captive

Loki had left her locked in his room not long after he had terrorized her and hadn't bothered to return for several hours, not that she cared, his mere presence set all of her senses on high alert, making her entire body tense, it was a rather unpleasant feeling and she was not looking forward to when it would return.

Sif had busied herself for most of the day by wandering aimlessly around his chambers, picking and prodding all of his possessions as she pleased, quite curious as to what he had toyed with before he had gone completely mad.

She had found a wide variety of items, from plastic daggers to leather bound tomes, he had it all, a very privileged child indeed. She had grown with nothing but harsh cloth for clothes and dirt as a source of entertainment, it was to be expected if you were to live in the poor villages near the edge of the city.

As she continued to rummage through his things, something seemed to catch her eye on the other side of the room, it appeared plain but to a certain degree, it was, in a way, intriguing. It definitely had her attention and she suddenly found herself striding across the room to Loki's large shelf that was overflown with books, her fingers outstretched towards the spine of a brown spell book, the exterior appearing roughly worn. As she withdrew it from the dark case she slowly began to flip through its pages, skimming through its contents carefully. While she did so, she began to notice that in each margin of each page, there were countless words and phrases about the magic spells, even ideas for the uses of them in some areas, although, not many.

She quickly tossed it onto the bed, where few other items had been placed, anything that was somewhat interesting to her was thrown there but she found that it took a lot to spark that interest.

Her eyes scanned the room for the umpteenth time before she settled on laying down on the king sized bed covered with a green and gold comforter and a couple pillows. The worst that could possibly happen was a midnight visit from Loki, yelling at her to get off of it, which would not frighten her much. As she plopped onto it she immediately relaxed, it was a luxury she had never experienced before and it pleased her greatly to experience it now, even if it was 'his' bed.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she blinked her eyes closed, her arms and legs hanging over the edges as she laid on it improperly, not caring enough to readjust her position. The immobile state she currently found herself in allowed her to think more about the day's events, even if they were something she really did not want to revisit.

The images of Loki and his chilling words creeped up her spine and choked her from behind, leaving her gasping for breath out of the mere memories. Sif shot off of his bed and onto her two feet as she began to frantically look around just as she once had but for an entirely different purpose, this time, she wasn't staring at his belongings, she was searching for an escape.

She was a warrior, she was the goddess of war! Why was she in here, roaming carelessly around instead of fighting back and trying to escape? Thor needed to know what had become of Asgard and it's inhabitants! And she needed to set that delinquent straight! No one was to get in the way of her duties to protect this realm and since he had, she would make him pay, whether that be physically or mentally, she cared not.

Her eyes scanned the room once more until they settled on something she had overlooked many times, it was so concealed, yet, so open and it happened to be whimpering her name, it was saying 'use me as your escape.'

Her brown colored orbs widened a great amount when she began to recall a lot of the things she had forgotten. She chastised herself silently as she withdrew the dagger she had hidden beneath her royal leathers, had she remembered it sooner she may have never been brought back to Asgard and found herself locked inside the devious prince's chambers, she would still be on Midgard and likely would have already reached Thor.

Hiding her inner battle away, she made her way over to the window that was bound with splintery wood that had to be at least a few decades old. It wrapped it tightly and it did not appear like it was going to yield to her easily.

Taking her weapon, Sif slowly began to use the blade to pull the nails from the boards, careful not to harm herself while doing so. The time it took to remove all four nails was painstakingly long, she feared Loki would return before she could finish the task, but thankful, he had not. She knew not the amount of time she had remaining but she did not wish to find out, an enraged god was not something she wanted to be in the crosshairs of.

She reached her hand to push the window open but found that, it too, had been locked and bounded with several chains.

A low growl sounded in her throat as she began to grow increasing irritated at all of the precautions he had gone through to make sure she was fully contained and incapable of the sweet salvation of an escape.

Her only remaining option was to smash through the window, one that she did not like at the least, smashing that window meant that Loki would come for her sooner and her time would be extremely limited. It would be a matter of seconds until he would be on her trail, sniffing out her scent like a bloodhound searching for a wanted criminal, the very thought made her cringe.

Sif took the time to catch a few breaths before she picked up one of his very large tomes, knowing that in a few moments she wouldn't be able to breathe at all. She weighed the book in her one free hand before she readjusted her grip on the deadly knife in her other hand, readying to use it to tread down the palace wall.

After one more second she tossed it harshly at the window, the shattering of the well made glass ringing in her ears as she did. Sif quickly ran at the window and watched as both the tiny transparent shards and the dark green colored historical book hit the concrete below with a loud clash of sounds.

She swung one leg over the window, not caring if the remaining pieces cut through her skin, now all that mattered was survival, there was absolutely no going back now, she had literally thrown that chance out of the window. It hurt more than she wanted to admit but she simply bit her tongue to try and cope with the pain.

As she dug her dagger into the outside of the building's wall, a male voice yelled in complete and utter rage and was soon followed by a very loud slam of a door that sounded to be only several floors below her. Each and every one of his footsteps traveled through all of the hallways and corridors as he stomped through them, clearly evident that he was making his way to his room, all of his attentions focused on the mighty warrior that had gotten under his skin for the last time.

Sif closed her eyes for a milli of a second to try and refocus herself on the task, trying to block out the sociopath that happened to be coming at her.

After opening them, she kicked her last leg over the ledge, leaving her dangling off the side of the golden palace but somehow she had not found herself frightened, only more determined to get the news to Thor for the sake of her and the citizens of Asgard's lives.

She dug her fingers and the tips of her boots onto ridges and holes, retracting her knife and placing it lower, in fast and swift movements she repeated each step over and over again until she found herself frozen in place.

Loki stood just in front of his window, leaning over the edge to peer angrily at her, his nostrils flaring and teeth bared at her as he did.

"Sif! I gave you a chance to stay put and do as you were told but since you decided you would very much rather defy me, I will have you bound with chains and placed in the darkest corner of the dungeon!" His threatening sentence came out as a low growl as he spoke through his gritted teeth, his cool blue eyes raging like a forest fire. She took an extra second to examine him further she noticed his chest heaved furiously and his hands were gripped onto the frame of his window so tight that his knuckles were a ghostly white.

She could not help but scoff at him, "You are the one to blame! You should have known I would never give up and submit willingly to you! I am a warrior, am I not?" Sif risked a glance down to study the distance between her and the ground before she stared back up at him defiantly.

Sif was taken aback by how quickly his demeaned had changed, it had gone from enraged to extremely amused and then to a mixture of the both, a chemical mixture, and she had not liked the looks of it at all.

"I 'knew' you would, it's in your nature, it was truly only a matter of time before you did.. I had not, however, expected this nice little game you have created. It should provide at least a few hours of entertainment before it is fully over.. the fun can always continue after I catch you.." The smirk that had only recently made an appearance onto his lips had widened after his last comment, knowing she knew exactly what he meant. Her practically spat each word at her, emphasizing each and every syllable. He found it was incredibly amusing to toy with her even when he was seething with anger and he did not want that to change any time soon.

After breathing a few more steady breaths in preparation for what she was about to do, she gripped onto the wall of firmly as she could of possibly gripped it, quickly withdrawing her dagger from it and throwing it at Loki, hoping that by some miracle it would strike him.

Not taking the time to watch how it played out, she let go of the wall and fell onto the concrete below, ignoring the sudden sting from both the drop and the glass shards that had managed to pierce through her armors and leathers.

As she scrambled to her feet, she looked up just long enough to catch sight of Loki holding her knife just inches from his face, clearly obvious that he had caught it and she had not even come close to hitting him with it.

He made a loud clicking noise with his tongue as he peered down at her, his anger still quietly boiling inside, "Sif.. I will make sure your punishment will not hurt as much as I had originally planned if you give up now. But if you do not.. I fear for what may happen to you."

She turned her head to peer at him while she continued to run in the direction of the bifrost, staring at him long enough to catch sight of a slowly growing grin painted onto his expression, it wasn't that that frightened her, it was the silent promise of what was to come in the future.


	5. Punishments

It was not a surprise to anyone that Sif was caught by Loki, it didn't even look like he tried.

It tore at Sif's pride and ego but she had to let it go, there was many important things she had to think about now since she had been caught trying to escape when he made it very clear of the consequences for such an action.

He currently dragged her through the halls, a red bandana tied around her mouth so only muffled noises could be heard, but every time she did make one, she was punished with a harsh slap to her cheek. She wore a brown cloak as well so no one would recognize her while he led her the Gods know where.

He was mumbling indistinct words that she couldn't quite make out, she tried her hardest but her efforts were to no avail, she had hoped his muttering would give her clues as to what was going to happen now.

After several more minutes of painstaking silence, Sif was thrown roughly back into Loki's room. No dungeon, no chains, just his room which confused her that much more. But all of that confusion vanished the moment she laid her eyes on him. He was towering over her as he closed the door and locked it, a large smirk playing on his lips as he observed her fearful expression.

"What is it that frightens the 'warrior maiden' so?" His tone was filled with amusement as he took a step towards her, searching for a reaction of some sort. It mattered not what kind, just a reaction.

Sif jumped to her feet and pulled at the bandana and disguise to try and pry them off, deeming successful shortly after, the moment her eyes landed on his, she wished they hadn't. There was a visible change in them, the light blue changed to a multitude of different hues, almost indescribable and the amusement left to leave behind pure lust. Nothing but lust.

"When I ask you a question, dear Sif, I expect an answer.." He drew ever so close to her and she soon found herself taking cowardly steps backward instead of facing the monster of a man.

"Loki.. I am not a play thing and I do not wish to become one. Stay back before you do something you will undoubtably regret." She warned him with a hiss of a tone, like a cat warding off a hungry dog. But just like that analogy, it was not going to work.

"Is that so?" He paused a moment as if considering her statement. His true intentions had been revealed the moment he went after her and pushed her up against the wall forcefully, his face inches from hers. She struggled underneath him, searching for an escape but was held down with a considerable amount of strength. "Tell me, darling.. How could I regret this?" Loki leaned forward a bit more only to crane his neck to the side and press a hot, open mouthed kiss to the side of her neck, hitting the sensitive spot and eliciting a moan from her. A moan that immediately caused Sif to curse under her breath for giving him the pleasure for doing something as improper to her as that. She ripped her hands free and shoved him as hard as she could. Loki did not budge an inch, the only thing she had truly down was make his head bob for a second as he grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head.

"Loki! By the Gods! Get. Off. Of. Me!" She squirmed and did anything she could have possibly done to twist out of his grip but nothing seemed to work as he planted another opened mouth kiss to the same spot, biting down on the tender flesh. He then began to flick his tongue across it, soothing it in a way until he bit harder the next time in the exact same place.

Sif shut her eyes tightly and tried to drown out what was occurring by thinking of other things, things that had absolutely nothing to do with the man who stood with his body pressed against hers, nipping at her tender skin. As much as she hated to admit it, his actions pleased her so, she had to fight back a moan every time his tongue swirled across her skin.

He soon pulled away from her, still pressing himself up against her, his eyes that same lust filled color. After seeing she had closed her eyes, he peeled them open and stared into them for what seemed like eternity as he read practically every emotion she felt for him, he read her like a book.

He saw her lips part as they began to form words and took it as his opportunity to try something else on her to see just how she felt. He let go of her wrists and cupped the back of her head with his right hand, smirking at her all the while as he spotted a sliver of confusion in her eyes. He placed his other hand on the front of her hip, pressing her even harder into the wall.

Loki took in all of her feelings and emotions one last time before he pushed further. He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her passionately, letting all of his want spill out for her to taste as he slid his snake like tongue in her mouth.

Sif resisted at first but gave into his force. To her complete and utter horror, she enjoyed it as she kissed him back and let her tongue dance with his, her arms locking around his neck. They remained in the same position for several minutes and he slowly pulled away from her to catch his breath.

There was something different between the two of them after their confrontation. Loki's eyes returned almost to normal but had changed to a mixture between light blue and forest green, causing the warrioress to wander how the being's eye color could change so rapidly.

Loki watched her intently, observing every one of her emotions, her expression may have said nothing but her eyes certainly told the whole story. It took him nearly a second to see hatred, sorrow and regret flash in her brown eyes, something that only made him smirk knowing that he was the cause of her conflicted emotions.

He let go of her and made his way towards his door, opened it but didn't close it before he looked back at her, "I do hope you enjoyed your 'punishment', /my/ lady. Your new clothes are lying on the mattress." He pivoted once more and closed the door behind himself, leaving a confused and bewildered Sif in his wake.

When he was certain he was out of hearing range he began to mumble things so that only he could hear. He had broken one of his own rules and he knew it. He had a carefully made plan and he failed to follow it. He wasn't supposed to do any of that, at least not this early. Her smell, the fear in her eyes, her lips, it had been too much for him to handle and he had let his heart take over when what he was supposed to be using was his mind.

-:::-

Sif was not only angered by Loki's actions but by her own as well, she swore at herself for giving him the satisfaction of what he did. It was most definitely not okay.

She reluctantly did as she was told though. She wanted nothing to do with the clothes he had picked out for her but yet she had to wear them, if he considered what he did a punishment, she did not want to experience another. She was sure it would be worse the second time around.

All she could smell was him, his musky scent filled her senses and sent them on overdrive. He smelled like a mixture between mint and a forest of pines, a very pleasant scent indeed. But not only could she still smell him, she could still taste him, it lingered in her mouth and did not seem to go away, no matter how hard she wished it did.

What he had picked out for her was flattering, almost too flattering and she did not like it one bit. Her new piece of attire was a black dress with a laced corset around the torso, it was neat and cleanly cut until it reached past her waist. Around that area the fabric was cut up and draping in several places, giving the appearance of being ripped up although she was certain it was /brand new/ and specifically made for her. It was a bit on the short side to her distaste, the exception being the clawed pieces of fabric that hung from it.

-:::-

Several hours passed before that monster returned, the usual smirk upon his lips as he skimmed her up and down, taking in every defined detail of her body.

Sif shot him a warning glare as his eyes met hers again, her body language screaming bloody murder as if she planned on attacking him on the spot.

"I've decided that I will let you roam the corridors freely every day, from dawn till dusk but I will warn you, pet.. If you do as much as step one foot outside this palace, there will be dire consequences for not only you but for the people around you.. It matters not if they helped you or not, they shall receive the same punishment as you and I can promise you that the next one will not be as pleasurable as the last." He walked about the room, his gaze occasionally locking with hers in attempts to keep her on edge.

"How can you be so sure you will notice my absence the moment it begins?" She raised an eyebrow at him, glaring with as much confidence as she could possibly muster.

"Because, my dear Sif, the guards have been personally instructed by the 'AllFather' himself to make sure that the warrioress does not exceed the palace walls." He grinned at her, showing just how much this conversation pleased him. It seemed to entertain him dangerously so. "Oh! And do not try to receive help from anyone, including your warrior friends.. that will result in a tragedy I'm sure you have no wish to experience."

Her eyes widened as she inferred what he could of possibly meant, the very thought scared her into silence.

Loki strode over to the door and walked out, leaving it open for once as he walked on, not looking back. He could feel her eyes burning into his neck and did not dare say another word as he widened the distance between them.

-:::-

Sif was hesitant at first as she took one step and then another out of his old room, her eyes darting wildly around the hall, searching for a sign of the trickster god but thankfully finding none.

She walked slowly, her heels clicking as she traveled down the dimly lit passage of complete hell. If she didn't know any better she'd say it looked like it hadn't been used in years.

The Asgardian sun was already close to setting and she knew she didn't have much time until she would be forced to return to Loki's chambers so she planned on using her time wisely.

She kept her eyes on the ground the entire time, head held low as she felt no reason to show pride or honor. Anyone in her current dilemma would relate, the exception being that no one had ever gone through something as strange and twisted as this, of that she was sure.

As she sped down the small and abandoned staircase she saw through one of the windows a large flash of light in the distance, causing her to turn her head completely to get a better view. She stopped altogether and walked over to the window, a hand resting on the sill.

Nothing could have prepared her for what she saw next. Out of the Bifrost came a blonde and muscly Thor, smile and all, obviously not aware of the state of the realm.

Sif had to make a split second decision. There would be no going back once she picked one of the two choices. She could one, continue walking through these halls and avoid as many people and servants as possible or two, run after him to try and get help before Loki got his hands on her and did what he had evidently promised he would for such an action.

After a quick glance behind her, she slipped off her heels, left them in the middle of the staircase and took off running, not daring to stop as the smell of mint and pine trees drowned all other scents in the corridor around her.


	6. A lot of Bad Decisions

Loki hit the wall, his fist piercing through as he felt Sif's subconscious decide to do the inevitable.

He assumed the 'Golden Prince' would return eventually, but he had to say, his timing wasn't the best. If he had come at a later date, a date in which The Warrior Maiden had been trained properly, the both of them would not be in the trouble they were soon to find themselves in.

Unfortunately for Thor, he was completely unaware of what he was getting into just by walking across the bridge and onto palace grounds.

Loki wasn't sure if he wanted Thor to know about his takeover just yet, he surmised he could push it a bit further until Sif felt she would snap.

He would know soon enough. Once his eyes landed on the mark she bears..

A low chuckle vibrated in his throat.

The outcome of his plan depended solely on how he reacted at this moment, so properly plotting was crucial in the careful game of chess.

But after watching Thor through one of the large windows, he grunted and spun around, flicking his wrist to assume his illusion that all were blind to; give or take a person.

-:::-

Sif went charging through the halls, not daring to stop in fear of being caught by that predator of a man.

Her beautifully crafted dress flowed freely behind her as her eyes narrowed on the objects in front of her, making her way towards the entrance.

To any bystander she would appear as not the Lady Sif but as a woman, a gorgeous one at that. Any man would be on his knees before her. Any 'normal' man.

Her hair was done as well as her makeup and she hated it beyond belief, she had been reluctant in letting her handmaidens do so. She did not understand the least bit as to why she had been treated the way she had. It was almost as if she wasn't a prisoner at all, rather a lady of the castle.

Sif was beginning to become winded as she neared the front of the castle, she only had a few more corridors to run through before she would reach Thor. She could almost taste the freedom, the justice. She wanted to put that rat in his place, show him Asgard could not be taken down by one person, especially not him.

She turned a corner and saw Loki leaning oh so casually on the wall, flipping a small golden coin and catching it repetitively.

"You will not stop me from telling him the truth! The gods forbid what will happen when I do!" Sif screamed at him, glaring furiously before dashing for the detour, trying to reach the Thunder God.

After looking over her shoulder time and time again she arrived at the palace's entrance, just where the bridge and stone bricks connected. She looked down at the area before placing one foot on the rainbow glass, remembering Loki's other threat as well, the one about her stepping foot outside of the walls.

She swallowed any doubt or fear she had developed within the last few minutes and set her mind on her duties, the duties that came with the title of warrior, she would not be intimidated by anyone, not this day.

Sif looked up and met the gaze of an expectant Thor, not even a quarter mile away.

"Thor!" She began sprinting again before she felt a strong but powerful hand grip onto her shoulder so tightly that she could barely move.

Sif knew exactly who had stopped her and felt as he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"It seems my threats were not evident enough for you.. Another thing you've got to learn, I suppose? When and when not to defy your king." A low chuckle rang in her ears as he walked forward disguised as someone completely different, no other than the All-Father himself.

"You are /not/ my king!" She screamed her protest to the world but was not heard, it did not take her long to realize he had muted her with a silencing spell.

"Father! How long has it been? One, two, three millennia?" Thor's joyfully boisterous voice bounced off of all the walls in Asgard. Wherever he went, you always knew.

"Ah, I'm afraid not, my son. Only a few months, not many though. I can see where it could be easy to loose track of time, after all, once homesickness settles in, it can make only a week feel a lifetime."

It was so clear, it nearly pained her. She knew exactly who was behind the mask, yet the one being manipulated had not the slightest clue. It made her want to cry and scream the truth, but the ability had been cruely taken from her.

After several minutes Thor peered at her, looking around 'Odin'.

"Whoa! Sif? You are wearing a dress and you look.. like a lady!" The different layers of shock in his tone confused her slightly, it made her want to slap him as she took it as just a bit offensive.

"Yes.. She does, doesn't she?" Loki stepped back to look at her as well, sending her a glare while his back was turned towards the thunderer, sending her a warning as he dissolved the spell that bound her vocals to the point of no sound.

"Uh, I've had a change of heart lately, I guess?" She threw him the most convincing grin she could muster. Unfortunately it was not very good, she looked like someone had just killed her puppy.

Thor laughed, "You don't seem very convinced. Come, let us all go to the dining hall for a feast! We shall have a plentiful amount of food and let's not forget the mead!"

"I believe you will be consuming mead with a side of food. Quite the opposite of what you have proposed." Odin's tone was all but knowing.

"Father, you jest!" He cheered, "I can't remember a time when you were this joyous!"

"Well this is such an occasion.. How could I not?"

And with that the three of them were off to get ready for the feast that had been set up not even a minute ago.

-:::-

Sif had been ordered to redress, much to her distaste.

Loki had hand picked her new clothing and the very idea made her get that same feeling she had earlier.

Her new dress was full length, it draped around her feet and flowed with the wind, undoubtably made from the finest silk the worlds had to offer, thin and soft to the touch. The color of the gown itself was a beautiful scarlett, a color that flattered and hugged her curves perfectly, as much as she hated to admit it. It was fit for royalty, something she was not.

Her handmaidens came in shortly after she put it on to do her hair and makeup.

They went for a messy but chic updo, a messy bun as the mortals would call it, and then a smokey eye styled look.

Sif could tell her life was only going to get worse from here on out until it became the living hel she wished it never would.

-:::-

"I do believe it is time to come out, dear Sif." A low voice purred through a crack in the door, filling her ears with the sound of smooth and sinful velvet.

She was reluctant in opening /his/ door, so she simply waited until his patience ran thin and he did it himself. Which, to be honest, was not the best idea. But she figured with Thor here, he couldn't do much to her without him noticing.

But oh was she wrong.

Loki burst through the door and pushed her against his wall, something that began to become a daily thing for him, much to her displeasure. He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her fiercely, a fight for dominance if you will. There was no love in his actions. No. This was all about power. About showing who was truly in charge. No matter how hard she shoved him, he wouldn't budge so she settled on trying to take over the rough kiss, to take hold of him through it.

Another bad decision on her part.

He bit onto her bottom lip unil it began to bleed, leaving a metallic taste in her mouth as he licked some of the blood with his tongue, pressing her so hard against the wall she was sure it would dent.

They continued to fight for dominance for several minutes, until his hands started traveling up her inner thighs, causing her to gasp and pull away from him.

"Don't touch me." Her command was plain as day and it was clear he did not like it one bit.

"Or what? Do tell! I'd love to know what exactly it is you are going to do." He was still pressed against her but he looked almost expectant as he awaited her answer.

Her response had not been quite what he had expected.

She had grabbed a book from his side table and whacked him upside the head with it, making a mad dash in the direction of the door before a swirl of green magic beat her to it.

It slammed a little too loudly.

"Wench!" He pause briefly, only to collect himself, "I will make you pay extensively for that!"

Loki charged at her, grabbed her arm and dragged her down the halls as the illusion cascaded over his person once again.

-:::-

The moment before Loki had sent her on her way he made his next threat very clear.

He did not want her saying a word about her current situation or his, for that matter. Thor should not know and /would/ not know as long as he was in control.

And with that Sif walked through the giant double doors of the dining hall. Several smiling expressions greeted her as she entered but their were a few other kinds of emotions that practically disarmed her as they stared at her in - awe.

Sif wanted to scream. To shout at them. She wanted to feel the freedom she once did; all she was now was a caged animal. A captive. And the worst part was; no one knew. But somehow she managed to keep the urge in check, thank the gods for it. She did not want to have another confrontation with her captor.

"Sif!" Fandral immediately stood, only Volstagg at his side since Hogun had stayed on Vanaheim. "Where have you been all this time? I was afraid something tragic had occurred to you!"

'Something tragic /has/ occurred to me.' She thought bitterly as she struggled to maintain her smile. "My apologizes, friend, I was ordered on a mission and I wasn't supposed to speak a word on the topic." Sif walked forward, ignoring the wild glances that began to arise in the room as peoples' eyes darted from Sif and then around the room. Even Fandral and Thor had begun to do it, that, she had to admit, had caused a spark of fear. "Is.. there something amiss?"

Thor stepped forth after a painstakingly long minute and tentatively touched her neck, causing the maiden to push his hand away.

A small flash in the corner of the room caught her attention but didn't seem to get any one else's as their eyes were focused solely on her. She turned her head slightly and her eyes immediately widened.

"Ah, I see you have found the mark." Loki came towards the two of them slowly, for emphasis she guessed.

The whole room gasped as they almost rubbed their eyes from the shock they were experiencing.

"This cannot be! You. You died! I saw it with my very eyes!" Thor was beginning to go through his own little state of shock as he grabbed hold of the table and used it to keep himself upright.

Sif finally managed to cut in. "What are you talking about? What mark?" A small tremor escaped her demanding tone and she found herself cursing internally.

"The mark you bear on your neck, my /dear/. The green serpent that binds you to me for the rest of eternity." His tone was mocking and knowing as he stared at her almost predatorily; like a lion seeing it's first meal in over a week. The look most definitely did not escape any of the hall's inhabitants.

"How?" Was all she could manage.

"Last night. Oh, I do hope you recall correctly?"

And she did, he was referring to after he had caught her the second time. He had bit and licked her neck.

But no one else knew. They thought it completely different.

She could no longer take it. These people who were supposed to be her friends were looking at her like some kind of twisted whore, /his/ whore. Something she was not.

His next action caught her off guard. It was as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Now, now, Lady Sif, we don't want to lose our temper, do we? You are way too fiery to be the cheap whore that these people appear to think you are."

A few pair of eyes widened at that.

Loki knew exactly which buttons to push, and push them he did.

He spun the now retreating Sif and pressed her against himself, kissing her the way he had not even twenty minutes ago, of course not as fiercely since they had an audience.

Not at the least surprisingly, she resisted but he even knew what to do for that too. The hand he had rested on her hip squeezed her until she felt as if the bone itself would fracture if not break.

Sif had to bite back a scream as she reluctantly kissed him back.

"If you two are done?" Fandral spoke up then, clearly taking over for Thor as he noticed the god was too far gone to speak a word over the shock of the 'return' of brother and the betrayal of his friend.

He pulled away then but turned Sif so that her side was pressed tightly against his. "I believe so. Now. I do /not/ believe, however, you are prepared for another truth this moment so I shall call a handful of you to the throne room when I see it fit. But for the time being. Leave." His voice was cold and demanding as his gaze hardened, all earlier amusement leaving without a trace.

"In the name of Hel and all things evil; get off me!" Sif broke. All that remained of her facade not only cracked but broke as she screamed out her protest, causing several pairs of eyes to stare at the two of them questioningly. "I am my own person! I do not belong to you. The only feelings I hold for you are hatred and pity; And to answer your question; no, your ears do /not/ deceive you, you have heard correctly; I pity you! You believe material things like a throne or a realm can bring you happiness! I'm sorry.. It can't. It won't. It never will."

Sif quickly pried his hand off and ran to Fandral's side, gripping onto his sword and taking it from it's holder, pointing it directly at the enemy.

At this point everyone had stopped to watch, not wanting to miss one second of this brawl unwinding right before them.

Loki did not care much, he cherished the attention. The bigger the crowd, the better.

"Is that so? Now then. Tell me." He paused, walking a few steps towards her only for Fandral to step out ahead of her, "Do you truly believe that? Or is it just your logic slithering it's slippery way into your emotions?"

Something changed in Loki's gaze and it cause her to drop to the ground. She knew exactly what was about to happen, his outward emotions were controlled but his eyes were far too expressive. She could visually see when he planned to do harm to someone in them. But it had been too late to warn the ladies man. He collapsed to his knees and yelled in pain. It looked to be excruciating, she would have came to his aid if everything around her hadn't faded away to leave her sitting on a bed, correction, /the/ bed in Loki's room, unarmed.

It did not take him long to appear right in front of her, standing right at its edge, flashing her a seductive grin.


End file.
